The long wait for the 2015 NFL draft finally will be over in less than a week.
That is, if the New England Patriots make a first-round draft pick. Patriots director of player personnel Nick Caserio acknowledged Wednesday the team knows it makes people angry when they trade out of the first round, especially in the new system in which the first day only consists of the opening round.
If the Patriots don’t make a pick, then there’s nothing for reporters or fans to discuss. Obviously Caserio and Bill Belichick would never bow to public pressure, however.
There’s plenty of draft talk in this week’s mailbag. Before the Patriots decide to trade down, let’s get into it:
@DougKyedNESN When in the draft do you see Patriots address the interior o-line?
–@AlexanderPaaske
The Patriots could be going into the draft needing one or two interior linemen, depending how they feel about Cameron Fleming and Ryan Wendell. There’s also a possibility the Patriots could bring back last year’s offensive captain, Dan Connolly, as well.
The Patriots could address their need at guard in the first round, but if they draft an offensive lineman that early, I believe that player would be a college tackle, like Florida State’s Cameron Erving, Oregon’s Jake Fisher or Pittsburgh’s T.J. Clemmings. The Patriots like versatility on their offensive line, and Erving actually played tackle and center with the Seminoles.
If the Patriots are going to draft a “pure” guard, I don’t believe they’ll select one until the third or fourth round. The Patriots have never drafted a college interior lineman before the fourth round. Alabama’s Arie Kouandijo and Florida State’s Josue Matias could be appealing in the mid rounds.
@DougKyedNESN do you see the pats trading up for Gurley. Heard they would have to trade way up to get him
–@NickDygs9
The latest buzz on Todd Gurley is that he could go as high as the top 10. In that scenario, I don’t see any way the Patriots come out of the draft with the talented Georgia running back. The Patriots have been getting by on using low-cost options at running back, so if I were them, I wouldn’t stray from that mold.
I think the Patriots should address their running back need in the third or fourth round, though. This is a deep running back class, and plenty of good players still should be available, like South Carolina’s Mike Davis, Auburn’s Cameron Artis-Payne and Mississippi State’s Josh Robinson.
@DougKyedNESN In your opinion, does Solder need a veteran at LG or will he be the player he was in the playoffs with a rookie there?
–@PaulM8712
Patriots lineman Nate Solder still has the potential to be one of the best left tackles in the NFL, and he proved that he could succeed in a difficult situation last season, when there was uncertainly all over the offensive line.
I think that Solder could play with a rookie left guard and have similar success to last season.
@DougKyedNESN How prepared to start are CBs currently on Pats roster, if it comes to that? (Am I allowed to submit questions?)
–@BenjeeBallgame
@BenjeeBallgame @DougKyedNESN How prepared to start are CBs currently on Pats roster, if it comes to that? (If Ben can’t ask)
–@daniel_duquette
Ben, you are allowed to submit questions, but Dan, I appreciate you having Benjee Ballgame’s back.
Let’s first look at each corner’s career starts:
Kyle Arrington: 56 games
Bradley Fletcher: 53 games
Alfonzo Dennard: 20 games
Robert McClain: 17 games
Logan Ryan: 13 games
Malcolm Butler: 1 game
I believe Arrington can be a solid starting cornerback based on his performance against smaller, shiftier receivers like T.Y. Hilton, Eddie Royal and Mike Wallace. He won’t find much success against bigger, more physical receivers, however.
I understand the last thing Patriots fans remember about Arrington is him getting torched by Chris Matthews and benched in Super Bowl XLIX. That was a bad matchup for him, since Matthews is 6-foot-5, but Arrington was great during the regular season. He allowed just 52.3 percent of his targets to be caught and gave up a 79.5 passer rating. He allowed 23 catches on 44 targets for 277 yards with one touchdown.
Fletcher really struggled with the Philadelphia Eagles, but they used a Cover-3 system that doesn’t really fit his biggest strengths. I doubt he’ll ever be a No. 1 cornerback, but in the right system — a press-man Cover 1 — he still could be a No. 2.
I believe Dennard still could be a solid No. 2 option, as well, but there’s also a reason why the Patriots benched him and shut him down for the season. Dennard is fighting for a job. If he sticks around, he could start.
McClain, like Arrington, is best suited as a nickel or slot cornerback. His strengths also are in covering smaller, shiftier receivers and in special teams.
Ryan’s biggest strengths are as a No. 2 cornerback, in nickel or zone. He proved to have solid ball skills as a rookie, but he doesn’t have the size or speed to keep up with the league’s top receivers.
Butler is kind of the wild card of the group. I believe he has tons of potential, but he also has the least experience among the Patriots’ top six cornerbacks. He has the speed to keep up with top receivers, and he proved to have top-end ball skills all season.
Butler has the potential to start, but right now, that’s based almost entirely on upside and a small sample size.
@DougKyedNESN do pats go cb or dt in first round of draft
–@NickDygs9
This is probably a cop out, but I don’t know yet, and the Patriots don’t either. I know they’ve shown interest in some of the top defensive tackles in the draft, but they’ve also worked out some top cornerback prospects.
I wouldn’t rule out wide receiver or linebacker as top picks either. I believe a player like USC wide receiver Nelson Agholor could make a major impact on the Patriots’ offense while serving as the No. 2/3 receiver of the future.
The Patriots reportedly agreed to a restructured contract with linebacker Jerod Mayo, but it’s only guaranteed for one season with a two-year team option. The Patriots love planning ahead, and Mayo could be gone after 2015, especially if the injury bug hits again. The biggest question is whether there is a linebacker worth selecting in the first round.
@DougKyedNESN how do you feel about Seth Rollins’ new finishing move & not using the curb stomp anymore? Also what would your finisher be?
–@lobster_dog
@DougKyedNESN What are your thoughts on WWE banning Seth Rollins’ curb stomp? #awful
–@JeffWIIM
This is probably a controversial opinion, but I was never super into the curb stomp as Rollins’ finisher in the first place. A lot of the time it was awkward to set up, and if the camera angle wasn’t perfect, then it didn’t look overly effective either.
Take the curb stomp he gave John Cena in the first clip above. Cena had to crawl to get into an awkward position. Rollins’ curb stomp to Brock Lesnar was great, but it’s also why the move might have been banned. Lesnar’s head bounced against the mat violently.
The new finisher he used against Dolph Ziggler was OK.
I think he could come up with something cooler, since his old finishers in the indies were better.
It would be great to see him have a finisher off the top rope, but that might have to wait until he’s a babyface again.
As for my finisher, I was always a big fan of the jackknife powerbomb when I was a kid.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=is6l-MAj_vI
@DougKyedNESN which player on the roster do you think makes the biggest jump next year?
–@PP_Rich_Hill
Taking a second- or third-year jump usually is all about opportunities. I think Dominique Easley, Malcolm Butler or James White are the obvious choices because they’re second-year players who could have big roles in 2015.
A slightly more under-the-radar guy could be defensive lineman Zach Moore. He barely played as a rookie last year, which made sense, because he was jumping from Division-II Concordia to the NFL. Based on his appearance at the White House, it appears that he bulked up over the offseason. The 6-foot-6 defensive end was listed at 275 pounds last season, but if he gets up to 290 or 300 pounds, then he could be a highly explosive interior player, either at five-technique defensive end or three-technique defensive tackle.
Moore definitely has a big frame, and he showed off great explosion during the pre-draft period last offseason.
@DougKyedNESN Who wins in wrestling match, Gronk or a Secret Service guy?
–@Abdullah12
Rob Gronkowski. In fact, I could see a future where he plays a member of the Secret Service in a post-career movie role.
@DougKyedNESN If you and the other Patriots beat writers had a pickup football game and you’re captain w/ first pick who you taking and why?
–@HailtotheHoodie
That’s a good question. I probably would have picked either Field Yates or Rhett Lewis, but Field is doing “NFL Insiders”, and Rhett moved from WHDH to NFL Network, so they’re out and off the beat.
Mike Giardi played some college ball, but that was probably about 30 years ago now. He’s past his prime.
I might go with Giardi’s CSN colleague Phil Perry. He’s got size and could be a formidable option at tight end and linebacker.
Thumbnail photo via Mark Humphrey/Associated Press
